Bass drum pedals have been the subject of many patents. Yet, this relatively simple device has been continuously improved in many different ways, and is yet capable of more improvements.
State of the art bass drum pedals use a variety of methods for driving a hammer against a drum, but all of them utilize a drive shaft connected to a pivotable footplate. These pedals generally are constructed such that the ratio of the change in footplate angle to the change in drive shaft rotation (or amount of "sweep" of the hammer) is constant throughout a single stroke. However, such pedals are not easily adaptable to a wide variety of users, i.e., they do not allow this ratio to be adjusted in any way. Thus, a player could not increase the amount of footplate angle displacement relative to the sweep of the hammer. Such an adjustment is desirable, since a player may want more momentum, or a louder beat, without having to pivot the foot through a great distance for each stroke. Similarly, a player may wish to play very rapidly without having to wait for the hammer to return a great distance between strokes. These situations require that the total amount of angle through which the footplate will pivot be adjustable in relation to a constant amount of hammer sweep.
Furthermore, it is desirable to vary the above described ratio throughout the stroke. In this way, pivotal movement of the footplate will cause greater movement of the hammer near the end of the stroke than at the beginning of the stroke, or vice versa. Again, this would allow the user to define that portion of the stroke where he desires the hammer to move fastest in relation to a constant amount of footplate movement. None of the prior art devices are capable of such a wide variety of adjustments.
State of the art pedals also lack the universal adjustability desirable in the return spring for the hammer. While it is known that it is beneficial to increase the spring tension as the hammer approaches the drum head, it is also desirable to increase the total distance through which the spring is stretched for a given amount of spring tension. An increase in this distance would allow a lighter weight and gauge of spring to do a greater amount of work than a conventional spring.
Furthermore, the prior art devices are not capable of adjusting the speed at which the tension increases, or in "fine tuning" the point of maximum tension increase to a specific position within the stroke. Such capabilities would allow universal adjustability for a bass drum pedal. Thus, the user may want to locate a rapid buildup of spring tension in the last portion of the stroke, allowing the first portion of the stroke to be used to develop speed and momentum. A more rapid return of the hammer after impact with the drum head allows the bass drum to be played at higher speeds.
The footplate on prior art bass drum pedals is conventionally a flat plate having the general outline of a foot. If large enough, such a plate may be used by many different drum players. However, such plates are quite heavy, thereby adding to the weight which the return spring on the pedal must overcome, and also slowing the return of the hammer after impact on the drum head. Also, a flat pedal cannot overcome the natural tendency for the drummer's foot to "cup" when playing at faster speeds. Since most players use soft shoes while playing, this cupping occurs as the toes curl under, pulling the muscles of the lower leg out of desirable position for drumming. Also, on a flat footplate, the foot tends to roll to the arched-side of the foot during high speed playing, which also pulls the leg out of desirable drumming position.
Yet another problem with prior art bass drum pedals is in their use on an electronic drum. A conventional "acoustic" drum has a plastic material stretched over a rim to form the head. When a bass drum pedal is used with such a drum, the head will stretch and deviate from its planar position up to one-half to three-fourth inch when the hammer strikes. Most electronic drums have a striking surface of thick plywood covered by a non-stretching plastic material. Thus, when a conventional bass drum pedal is utilized on an electronic drum, none of the resilience of the acoustic drum head is present. This unyielding surface can actually be painful to a user over a period of time, and has been likened to "kicking a brick".
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved bass drum pedal.
Another object is to provide a bass drum pedal upon which the total amount of footplate pivot throughout a stroke may be adjusted in relation to the total amount of hammer sweep. Another object is to provide a pedal upon which the ratio of the change in footplate angle per unit of hammer sweep is adjustable to be increasing or decreasing throughout the stroke.
Still another object is to provide a bass drum pedal with a spring return which may be universally adjusted to provide an increasing or decreasing ratio of hammer sweep per unit of total tension applied to the hammer throughout the stroke.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bass drum pedal with a dramatically increased stretching distance for the return spring in comparision to conventional pedals.
Another object is to provide a bass drum pedal capable of adjusting the point at which maximum spring tension increase per unit of sweep is located.
Still another object is to provide a bass drum pedal with a footplate which prevents "cupping" of the foot during playing.
Another object is to provide a bass drum pedal with a footplate which is adjustable in length.
Another object is to provide a pedal which is lightweight and adaptable for use by many players.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bass drum pedal which can be utilized on an electronic drum while still giving the "feel" of an acoustic drum.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bass drum pedal which will not transmit the shock of striking an unyielding surface directly to the user's foot.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.